President Trump announced earlier this month his administration's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and begin the process of moving the U.S. Embassy to the disputed city. The move bucked decades of U.S. diplomatic policy and fulfilled a key campaign promise — but it also immediately set off a widespread backlash in countries around the world, who believe it would significantly undermine the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, who also claim Jerusalem as the capital of a prospective state.As Israel lauded the move, the country's Arab neighbors condemned it as a violation of an international resolution that forbids attempts "to alter the character and status" of the city before the peace process has concluded. And beyond the Middle East, countries across the West quickly reiterated that their own embassies would not move from their present locations in Tel Aviv.Meanwhile, in the Palestinian territories, protests escalated into clashes between demonstrators and Israeli authorities. And rocket fire from the Gaza Strip was answered with Israeli airstrikes.

UN votes 128-9 to declare US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital 'null and void' - as Britain jeopardizes its special relationship with America by voting AGAINST Trump.​The U.N. Security Council sought earlier this week to vote on a measure that would have demanded that states refrain from placing their diplomatic missions in Jerusalem. Without naming the U.S. or Trump, the resolution nevertheless would have proclaimed Trump's decision null and void. The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly rejected the Trump administration's decision to recognize the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. By a 128-9 vote Thursday, the diplomats gathered in New York City ignored U.S. objections and approved a nonbinding resolution calling on countries to avoid moving their embassies to Jerusalem. Every country on the council, including U.S. allies, voted for the measure — but the U.S., which holds veto power, blocked the vote.

From Richard Roth, CNN Ambassador Riyad Mansour, the permanent observer of Palestine to the United Nations, objected to the veto in a statement following the vote. "The proper message that should have been sent by the Security Council to Israel, the occupying power, is that its contempt of international law and the international community will no longer be tolerated," he said. "We fear, however, that the message sent today may be one that only encourages further Israeli intransigence and impunity. This must be remedied." Israel praised the veto, saying in a statement that the decision "contributes to the resumption of the diplomatic process and (it) regrets that the other Security Council members have refrained from making the same contribution."

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee also praised the veto, saying the action prevented "another one-sided, anti-Israeli resolution from being enacted by the U.N. Security Council."

- from http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/02/18/un.israel.settlements/